Impulse
by Mystical Dreamweaver
Summary: AU scene. Fear can override reason even for the brightest and most rational of minds. Lelouch experiences this firsthand when Suzaku is arrested for Clovis's murder. Gen, but emphasizes a strong Suzalulu bond.


A ridiculously AU scene of what I hoped would happen after Suzaku's arrest in canon. Please ignore the glaring discrepancies with canon and possible OOCness on Lulu's part.

**Impulse**

Leaning back against the wall, Lelouch passed a cool glance over the people in the room, not at all concerned with the fact that over half of them were armed soldiers and blatantly aiming their weapons at him.

"Who are you?" one of them shouted, trying—and utterly failing, in Lelouch's opinion—to sound intimidating. "This is a restricted area. If you do not identify yourself, we will assume you are an enemy and open fire!"

Lelouch ignored him, and instead turned his gaze to the far right where Suzaku was being restrained by a small cluster of guards. Even from this distance, Lelouch could see Suzaku's wide eyes staring at him, probably in a frantic plea to either ask what the hell Lelouch thought he was doing or for Lelouch to get himself the hell out of there before the soldiers decided to shoot.

Maybe it would be prudent not to push the soldiers **too** much, Lelouch considered as he returned his attention to the soldiers in front of him, who had moved closer, their weapons still held at the ready. Yes, it appeared they were getting agitated and he should probably make his move before one of them actually opened fire. Of course, in the long run that'd have much more severe repercussions for them, but Lelouch didn't want to risk dying. He enjoyed the thrill of taking risks as much as the next person, but he wasn't suicidal.

He held up the hands he had previously had hidden behind his back. Lelouch resisted the urge to roll his eyes as they all immediately followed the movement, instantly spotting the slim black cell phone grasped in his right hand.

"What is that?!"

... Britannian soldiers really weren't very smart, although to be fair, it wasn't everyday they were challenged by a teenager on a high security military base. Still, it was quite clearly a cell phone unless they were under the impression that he was here as a crazy terrorist planning a suicide bombing.

"This is a cell phone. The line is already connected to someone who will explain what you need to know." He decided to forego the fact that this mysterious someone would be giving them orders as he doubted that they'd react well to it.

Some of the soldiers looked confused while others only appeared to grow more irritated.

"Why the hell should we bother taking the call at all?"

Lelouch could tell many of the soliders agreed with the brash statement, but he was spared from having to respond as the man he had been eyeing since he entered the room finally stepped forward. The man was the most senior of the soldiers here, a sergeant from the looks of his uniform.

"Forgive my subordinate's rudeness, but we really do have no reason to accede to your request." The man's voice was strong and deep, a testament to his many years in service.

Lelouch smirked, showing them his confidence. "You would have just shot me on the spot if you were sure I was a terrorist or someone insignificant. As it is, this is a highly guarded military base. Not just anyone can get in, either illegally or through the proper channels. Since I'm Britannian, you've probably assumed I actually have access to be here, which would mean I either have some kind of status myself or I'm connected to someone high up. Therefore, you have withheld shooting in fear of angering the wrong people. I assure you that if you don't take this call, it will mean consequences that none of you can bear."

"Is that a threat?"

Lelouch sighed. "No. Seriously, this is all getting very tedious. If you are not comfortable taking the call, I implore you to contact the highest ranking officer at this base to speak to me. The results will not be pretty if I do not get my way."

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say as the tension in the room went up. But Lelouch didn't care. He was through with speaking to this bunch of idiotic Britannian soldiers labouring under delusions of self importance. He steadfastly ignored the fact that he had once been like them, arrogant and assured in his position. He was smarter now, smarter than the ten year old who had felt ridiculous pride in being a prince of Britannia and certainly smarter than the very same ten year old who had thrown away what little power his title afforded him when the illusion had been shattered.

He hated his blood and what it implied of his connection to Britannia, but he couldn't deny that it was certainly the only thing that could save Suzaku now. He had shed his title and his last name once in a fitful rage to get a rise out of the Emperor, but he realized now that he could accomplish nothing without power. He needed Britannia to gain the power necessary to crush it. Arrogance and ignorance had once been his downfall, but as a prince, arrogance was part of his very being and even back then, he hadn't been able to discard it. Now he willingly accepted it back, confidence radiating from his very being.

"On second thought, I think I've given you enough chances." He reached in his front pockets and quickly pulled out a key card, throwing it to the sergeant in front of him. "I'm ordering you to call the highest ranking officer at this base here immediately to speak to me."

The sergeant caught the plastic card and glanced at it, eyes widening as he read it. It was an access card with maximum security clearance. With it, Lelouch could go wherever he wished in any Britannian territory. Schneizel had arranged for him to receive it. Without it, Lelouch wasn't sure he could have carried out this impulsive rescue mission.

Even if the card didn't have his name or rank on it, simply having possession of such an item implied he was someone of importance. Or that he had stolen it from someone of importance, but he doubted they'd assume that without checking first now. After all, only royalty and the highest ranked members of the military could possibly even hope to acquire such a card.

The sergeant looked at the card like it was a starving lion out for his flesh. "How do I know this is real?" he finally asked, his nervousness evident.

Lelouch inclined his head to the door he had just entered from. "How do you think I got in here? But you're welcome to test it out yourself. Go to the head's office. With that, you won't even need to knock."

The sergeant turned and handed the card to a private next to him. "Go to the communications room and test this on the machine there. If it proves to be real, have the personnel there contact Lord Gottwald, Lord Kewell and Lady Nu, and request that one of them come here immediately. We may have an emergency situation on our hands."

The private rushed out to follow his orders. Lelouch simply reclined against the wall again and brought his cell to his ear.

"Did you catch all that?"

"Perfectly," Schenizel's amused voice replied. "You know, if you had just waited another day or so, I could have sent loyal soldiers over from the mainland to escort you. Or I could have had a contingent already stationed there assigned under your command."

"Are you worried about me? I couldn't trust anyone here, you know that, especially since they would have no clue why they were protecting a mere teenager. Doubt in a leader does not inspire loyal followers. And I couldn't wait another day. They were planning to execute him today." Lelouch's eyes flickered to Suzaku's as he said the last sentence, knowing he had caught it.

"There are still a number of things I could have done with my combined power of second prince and Prime Minister of the Empire. Although it would have raised suspicions and started a flood of unnecessary rumours, I could easily have postponed the execution. By pure force, I could have even forced his release since it's obvious there's no real evidence against him. I don't like that you're doing something so reckless, Lelouch. It's unnecessarily dangerous. I shudder at the grief I'd get from Cornelia and Euphemia if they ever found out I let you die right after we had finally gotten you back. Why couldn't this have waited until after resuming your title?"

"Because it would have been too late by then. They're dead set on saying he's guilty, even though I know otherwise. As for having you do everything behind the scenes, I figured this was killing two birds with one stone. The secret's coming out anyway, so might as well save him and reveal at once. It'll be a shock and you know I've always had a bit of a flair for the dramatic. Not as bad as Clovis's, of course." What he didn't mention was that he couldn't trust saving Suzaku to anyone else. He had to do it, even if the only way was to put back on the crown he had long discarded and wield the royal power he had scorned.

Lelouch also noticed the way several of the soldiers had twitched at the mention of his dead brother's name. He knew they were listening in on his conversation with Schneizel. He had been careful not to reveal anything in what he said, and really, Clovis's name was harmless enough. It should be pretty obvious that he was here to rescue Suzaku, who was being charged with the third prince's murder. Well, they weren't doing anything to stop him (although they still hadn't slackened their grip on their guns), so Lelouch continued to ignore them.

"Remember that once this is over, you are coming straight home to Pendragon."

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know the deal. I wasn't under any illusions about staying after I called you anyway."

"You still owe me a full explanation for why you neglected to inform us of your survival all these years, Lelouch."

"I know. You'll hear it once we meet face to face."

A pause. Then, "I feel I should tell you that I had no choice but to inform father of your impending arrival."

Lelouch's eyes widened then narrowed in fury. "What?" he barely managed to stop himself from hissing, unwilling to show too much emotion in front of the eavesdropping soldiers. "I thought we had a deal. This was to be kept between the two of us until I got there."

"I know. And despite what you may believe, I am sorry."

Lelouch barely restrained himself from snorting. He didn't think Schneizel had ever been genuinely sorry for anything in his life. Still, he didn't think his brother would betray him unnecessarily. He had chosen to contact Schneizel for a reason, after all.

"How did this happen?"

"I was handpicking the soldiers being sent to Area 11 personally. I want you to get back here safely, Lelouch. I'm not taking any chances with your safety."

"And that's why you told **him**?" Lelouch asked bitterly, not caring that he was interrupting his brother.

"Lelouch, you know me better than that. I'm sorry, but father noticed what I was doing and summoned me to question me about it. It is difficult to lie to the Emperor."

Lelouch closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm down. This was a pointless dispute. What was done was done. Besides, the Emperor was going to find out about his survival sooner or later. Trying to put it off was only cowardly and he wasn't the scared little boy he had been seven years ago.

"It's fine. I know I'm acting childish," Lelouch said shortly. "So how did he react?"

"I couldn't tell, honestly. But father did assign the Knight of Three to accompany the soldiers I selected. He did it there in front of me. As far as I know, the Knight's only orders are to protect you. Unless the Emperor is giving him additional orders on the sly, there's nothing else to it because I mentioned that the transport was already preparing to leave. Of course, I had to make the call to hold the plane until Lord Weinberg, who's the Knight of Three if you were unaware, could make it. He left immediately and the Emperor dismissed me shortly thereafter. And before you ask, he is bringing his Knightmare, the Tristan."

"I see."

Lelouch didn't know what else to say. He had met only a few of the Knights of the Round when he had still lived in Pendragon, although he had known all of them by face and name. Even now, he made it a point to keep up to date on the powerful figures in Britannia—he never liked to be caught off guard. Lord Weinberg was one of the newer Knights of the Round, having been selected after his exile. They were the same age, so he was one of the younger ones as well, which led Lelouch to assume he was probably inordinately talented, although the youngest Rounds member was the Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim.

He didn't know why the Emperor would bother assigning a Rounds member to ensure his safe return to Pendragon. It made no sense, unless Weinberg's true mission was to kill him. The Emperor didn't care about his children's wellbeing, Lelouch least of all. He had made that clear when he had used Lelouch and Nunnally as political hostages, then subsequently invaded Japan anyway without a care about the fact that they would be caught up in the war. As far as Lelouch was aware, no attempts had been made to get him and his sister out of Japan before the invasion (or at least to a safe military base) or to find them after the war had been won.

If Weinberg's orders were truly to kill him, he was screwed. Lelouch knew that beyond a doubt. There was no way he'd be able to fend off a trained soldier, much less a Knight, by himself. Even if he did manage to escape a first attack, Weinberg would track him down. Besides, there were plenty of ways to kill a person that didn't involve direct assault. Schneizel, however, seemed to believe that there was nothing sinister behind the Emperor sending one of his personal Knights. And if anyone would be able to read the Emperor, it was Schneizel. If it were true that Weinberg's only orders were to protect him, the only explanation Lelouch could come up with was that the Emperor must have found a use for him. There was no other reason he'd have any interest in Lelouch's safe return.

"You're overthinking this, Lelouch," Schneizel's voice was slightly exasperated, and Lelouch realized that neither he nor his brother had said anything for a while. Giving himself a mental shake, he replied.

"How so?"

"I'm almost completely sure the Emperor has nothing planned, at least not until you get back to Pendragon safely. We'll deal with everything once you get here."

Lelouch wanted to argue, wanted to hash out the situation with Schneizel so he wasn't caught off guard if he made it to Pendragon alive, but he had to admit that this wasn't the time or place to discuss such sensitive topics, even if the soldiers surrounding him had absolutely no clue what he was talking about.

"Fine. You said they were already on their way?"

"Yes. The military plane I chose departed here about two hours ago while you were busy preparing for your little adventure. It should arrive by nightfall. You are to remain in the base until then. The transport will land directly on the base. Lord Weinberg and my soldiers will disembark to retrieve you and the plane will take off immediately. Every minute you stay in Area Eleven is a danger to your safety."

"And you think it's safest here?"

"The soldiers there wouldn't be stupid enough to harm you after they speak to me. They'll be too scared with the wild theories of how much power you may wield if you could so casually obtain my help. Besides, it'll be less than a day. It's not as if you need to stay there overnight."

"I've been at Ashford for years and I haven't been harmed," Lelouch replied smartly.

"I think it'd attract the least amount of notice if the soldiers I've sent go to the base and not your school. We're trying to keep your return a secret for now, remember? Besides, I'm sure you anticipated this and said your goodbyes beforehand."

"I hate how smart you are sometimes," Lelouch mumbled, a petulant tone underlying his voice. "Fine, I'll do as you want."

Schneizel didn't reply, but Lelouch imagined he had on that small satisfied smile he always wore whenever he trounced Lelouch in chess.

"If that's all, then let's just wait for the officer in charge to get here. I'm sure you're busy with things."

"You're my top priority right now," Schneizel said immediately. "But I'm suppose we should cut this conversation short as it is no doubt being eavesdropped upon on your end. I'll be here waiting to intimidate whoever I finally speak to."

Anyone else would sound cocky and arrogant, but Schneizel just sounded like he was stating fact. And he was. Nearly everyone in the royal family spoke that way. It came partly from being told they were better than everyone else since birth and partly from their genes, he suspected. Lelouch knew he himself spoke with authority that few could ever hope to imitate, much less achieve.

"Okay." Lelouch lowered his arm to his side, careful to angle the mouthpiece away from his pants so that Schneizel would still be able to hear everything going on.

It turned out they didn't have to wait very long. No sooner had Lelouch gone back to lounging against the wall than the heavy metal doors slid open soundlessly.

Villetta Nu, decked out in her unique Knightmare outfit complete with flowing cape, marched in imperiously. The private sent by the sergeant followed behind her.

Her eyes quickly flickered over the room, taking in the situation.

"I've been informed that there is an emergency that requires my attention, Sergeant Anders?" She directed her words at the Sergeant, but kept her eyes trained on Lelouch, the only one glaringly out of place, not to mention all the guns still aimed at him.

"Yes, Major Nu. This man," the Sergeant gestured to Lelouch, "came in here when we were about to load the Eleven onto the transport to bring him to the execution grounds. He claims he entered legitimately using the access card I sent with Private Leon. He is carrying a cell phone and wishes for you to speak to whoever is on the other end of the line."

Villetta nodded. The Private had already explained the situation to her, of course, but it was never prudent to simply take an imbecile's word for it. "This access card is most definitely real. No one can forge Britannian technology, especially not such high level clearance. However, it remains to be seen how you came across something so rare." She directed her last words at Lelouch, the threat clear.

Lelouch didn't even blink. He held out his cell phone. "As I've been trying to tell the soldiers here, everything will become clear if you speak to the person on the line."

Lelouch had expected more resistance, but it took the Major only a moment of deliberation before she walked forward and snatched the phone out of his hand.

"Hello?"

Lelouch watched in amusement as the Major stiffened with shock less than ten seconds into the conversation. Schneizel sure didn't beat around the bush.

"Your H—" Villetta began before cutting off abruptly, the need for discretion clear. "Yes, I'm sorry. Shall I leave to a more private location?"

Schneizel must have said no because she stayed put. There was silence for a number of minutes as Schneizel revealed whatever he thought the woman needed to know and no doubt gave her explicit instructions on how to proceed.

Then, "Of course. I understand. There will be no problems, I assure you."

She was almost certainly under threat of death if everything didn't go according to plan, even if she didn't know it. The safety of a member of the royal family was in her hands until the mainland's transport arrived.

Lelouch could feel the eyes of all the nosy soldiers on him as Major Nu finished the conversation and passed the phone back to him instead of hanging up.

"He wishes to speak to you." Her voice was neutral, the safest retreat now that she was unsure of how to address him.

Lelouch brought the phone up to his ear again. "Yeah?"

"Major Villetta Nu is a Knight under Colonel Jeremiah Gottwald in Area 11. She and her commanding officer both support the Purist Faction. She is a good Knightmare pilot, better than average with scores of successful missions. There is nothing incriminating on her records. While she is nobility, she sticks out in the purist faction because her family has only gained a title in the last generation."

"I already knew most of that." He had done his research on those who were accusing Suzaku before coming here.

"I figured."

"So what else?" Code: what did you really want to say?

"I ordered Lady Nu to release Suzaku Kururugi into your custody immediately. I revealed that it had come to my attention from a much more trustworthy source than the Purist Faction and their contrived evidence that Suzaku Kururugi has a solid alibi and could not have been the one to shoot Clovis. Furthermore, that someone higher than her and her comrades was vouching for his integrity. That is you, but since we have yet to announce your survival and we don't want to spark rumours of a royal coverup, officially clearing Kururugi's name will have to come after you return home. She probably thinks you're an undercover agent I planted in Area 11 since you're still wearing your school uniform. I said it would be on her head if anything happened to you or Kururugi before the men I sent arrived."

"Alright, I will see you soon then."

"Of course, I'll be there once the plane lands to meet you. If anything goes amiss before Lord Weinberg and the rest of the entourage arrive, call me."

Lelouch almost rolled his eyes. "I will."

He hung up before Schneizel could harp more. No one had said or done anything while they had been speaking, but he didn't want to drag this out anymore. Major Nu hadn't had the guts to interrupt their conversation and everyone else there was obviously following her lead.

Once he closed the phone and pocketed it, Villetta turned to the Sergeant. She gave her orders, basically telling them to release Suzaku while simultaneously avoiding the fact that it was her and her purist friends that had unjustly arrested and tried to frame him in the first place. The soldiers were confused as hell about what was going on, but no one had the gall to question the Knight, so in only minutes, the soldiers guarding Suzaku had uncuffed him and Lelouch quickly moved to his side, the shadow presence of Major Nu ensuring that no one dared stop him.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku cried, rushing forward and gripping Lelouch's arms tightly. "What are you doing?!"

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Saving you. Isn't that obvious?"

Suzaku glanced nervously around him, especially at Villetta Nu standing behind Lelouch. "No, I mean with all of this. Who was on the phone? How did you arrange all this?"

Unwilling to reveal to everyone there that he was connected to the royal family, Lelouch used their secret language of years past to indicate that this wasn't the place to talk. "I'm sure you can guess who I called. There aren't many people who can orchestrate this, no questions asked."

Suzaku eyes widened. "But you—" He cut himself off abruptly when he saw the look Lelouch was giving him, plus another signal that warned him to keep his mouth shut.

There was a pause as Suzaku struggled to find the right words. When he spoke again, his tone was calm. "I thought you didn't want to rely on connections."

Suitably ambiguous. Lelouch almost grinned. It appeared that Suzaku had learned some subtlety in the last seven years.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "There was no other way to save you." It wasn't true, but it was the story he was running with for now. At the very least, he could certainly have halted Suzaku's execution without personally stepping in and exposing himself to danger. He had to admit that he panicked when he saw his best friend being arrested for high treason, a crime whose punishment was certain death even for a Britannian.

He had felt despair for the first time in years when he had realized he had no way to save Suzaku, no way to oppose the soldiers asserting the claim. As much as he hated to admit it, the Emperor had been right in his harsh words; Lelouch's status, his self importance had all been granted by the Emperor. Without the title of a prince, he wielded no power. He had realized he needed power to save Suzaku, needed status above any of the Purists, and had taken the one gamble that might grant him that power.

Looking at Suzaku's stricken face, he could tell that his flippant words had fooled neither of them. Suzaku understood just how much this move had cost him. And if Lelouch knew Suzaku—and he believed that he still did despite the seven years they'd been separated—he knew his friend wouldn't approve of the sacrifice.

"I didn't kill Prince Clovis, Lelouch. I would have been fine. You didn't have to come."

Lelouch stared steadily back at Suzaku, his violet orbs hard as gems. "Do you really believe that? You should know as well as I do that Britannian law wasn't designed for fairness. In your case, the truth might as well mean nothing."

Suzaku gasped. "Lelouch!" he chastised, his eyes flicking rapidly to the soldiers that surrounded them.

Lelouch didn't care. The soldiers nearest them had been eavesdropping on their conversation from the very beginning, but they were properly wary of him now. They wouldn't make a move against him until the situation became clear.

"Don't worry, Suzaku. A comment like that is hardly grounds for treason." His tone changed from teasing to serious again in the next instant. "But don't avoid the question."

"Whether I would have been acquitted or not is beside the point. I was—still am, actually—under suspicion of murdering Prince Clovis. I had to be taken in for investigation. If I had resisted, it would have only worked against me."

"You're right. But you're also innocent. Yet you were going to be found guilty and executed anyway. It meant death, Suzaku. I couldn't let it happen."

Suzaku sighed. "I'm not worth it, Lelouch."

Lelouch's jaw tightened. "That's not for you to decide."

"Why not? It's my life."

"Because the Suzaku I know wouldn't just lie down and accept death. The Suzaku I know fights for what he believes in," Lelouch said vehemently. "If he had to die, he would make it mean something."

Something flickered in Suzaku's eyes, although whether it was acceptance, indignation or sadness he couldn't tell. "It's been years, Lelouch. How are you so sure you still know me?"

He didn't falter. He refused to. "Because the war already destroyed so much. I won't let it destroy our friendship."

Suzaku's breath caught, and Lelouch ploughed on. "We've both changed. It's the natural way of things, after all. But we're still friends, aren't we?"

"I didn't—I wasn't denying that, Lelouch."

"Good."

Their eyes locked. It had been seven years since they had seen each other. Both had believed the other dead until this point, but in that moment it was as if no time had passed at all. Logic told them they had both changed, but the bond between them was as strong as ever. Nothing—not time, not Britannia, not a war—could erode the bond that had formed seven years ago. When apart, they were crippled, only two halves of a whole, but together they could do anything.

"You're coming back to Pendragon with me, Suzaku. There, I'll clear your name and make sure that something like this never happens again. No one can touch you while you're with me." He would make sure of it.

* * *

It must have been nearly ten hours before his escort arrived. Even with the recent leaps and bounds in technology, Britannians still hadn't managed teleportation. Surprisingly, the scene where they were had changed little. Everyone was still awake and tense, if not completely alert. Several of the soldiers were drowsy and would have fallen asleep then and there if they weren't afraid of being reprimanded.

Gottwald had arrived some hours ago to question Nu about the situation. It was the only time since Schneizel had spoken to her that Nu had taken her eyes off Lelouch. She and Gottwald had shared a private conversation, which had culminated in Gottwald leaving and Nu resuming command once again. Gottwald had seemed mildly angry, which meant that Nu hadn't revealed any details to him.

There had been no other visitors. No one was allowed in and no one was allowed out.

Until now, that was.

Without warning, the large metal doors slid open noiselessly to admit the Knight of Three and his entourage.

One glance was all it took to tell you that the men accompanying the Rounds member were elite. The aura they gave off was different, something in their countenance, their stance, set them apart.

Lelouch vaguely noted the shock spreading throughout the room, but he paid it no mind. This was the first real test for his return. As Weinberg's eyes swept the room and landed on him, he met the piercing gaze head on.

The Knight of Three was truly a Knight of the Rounds despite his young age. He was probably younger than everyone in the room barring Lelouch and Suzaku, yet he commanded attention effortlessly.

Gino headed straight for the little corner where Lelouch had set up residence, bypassing the bowing soldiers without acknowledgement. The mainland soldiers followed swiftly, although careful to spread out so that they formed a tight circle around Lelouch once they reached him. They eyed everyone else there warily. Trust no one. You could never be too careful when you were guarding a prince's life. Britannia was not known for its mercy.

"Mr. Lamperouge, we are here to escort you back to Pendragon." Gino tilted his head in deference in place of a formal bow. He wondered if the Emperor had actually ordered the Knight to help him keep his secret or if the blond was just naturally considerate.

"Just Lelouch is fine, Lord Weinberg." Lelouch threw out the request for informality to see how the Knight would react, but he was disappointed. The blond Knight didn't even bat an eye as he replied.

"Lelouch. Then please call me Gino. I trust you have not been harmed?"

The last was said with obvious threat although Gino's face remained amicable.

Lelouch felt Suzaku's eyes on him immediately. He didn't need to look to know that Suzaku had stiffened further if possible. He knew the penalty for raising your hand against a member of the royal family. They all did. And now Gino was offering him the chance to exert that right.

"No, I'm fine." He wouldn't have their deaths on Suzaku's conscience. "Major Nu has been seeing to my protection."

Lelouch indicated the silver-grey haired Knight with a finger. She had been standing nearby, but had been ignored until now.

Gino turned. "I will be responsible for Lelouch's protection from here on." Then to everyone gathered there, "Anyone who approaches Lelouch from this moment forth will be considered a threat and taken out as such."

No one made a sound. Good soldiers knew when to silently accept orders even if they were confused as hell about why the orders were being given.

Gino turned back to Lelouch. "We will be departing immediately. Please follow me."

Lelouch stopped him before he could move further. "I'm not sure if you were informed, but Suzaku Kururugi will be accompanying me."

They had been keeping their distance since the short reunion hours ago, but now Lelouch moved to stand by Suzaku's side, an immovable look on his face.

Tension built as Gino replied. "My orders are to see you safely to Pendragon. Any additional passengers that aren't part of the original team are a threat to your safety."

"Suzaku isn't a threat." He bit down on the words, you and your entourage are what I'm more worried about.

"I'm sorry, Lelouch, but I take my job very seriously. Maybe you don't understand, but when a Knight is ordered to protect someone, it means that no one else is allowed near the person in question. I will stick to your side like glue until we reach Pendragon."

"That's fine, but Suzaku is still coming with me and he isn't leaving my side either."

Before Gino could protest, Lelouch cut him off.

"Suzaku has been unjustly accused of the murder of Prince Clovis. Britannians everywhere are crying out for his blood. He isn't safe in Area 11 until the truth is revealed. But I'm sure with your protection, no harm will come to him."

Gino shook his head. "My orders are to protect you, Lelouch, not someone else. And since I am to protect you, I cannot have anyone who poses a threat near you. No matter what you say, I don't know this man and what he is capable of. He is an unknown quantity and thus a threat."

"Would you be saying that if he were Britannian?" Lelouch asked boldly.

Strangled gasps were heard at the question, but Gino retained his composure. "I'd stand firm on this even if he were a noble. Protecting you is my mission. Letting the status of extraneous individuals affect that would only lead to failure." Gino looked Lelouch hard in the eyes. "If I must, I can and will remove him by force."

Lelouch stiffened and resisted the urge to shield Suzaku with his body. He knew Suzaku wouldn't appreciate it.

"I won't leave Area 11 without Suzaku."

"With all due respect, Lelouch, you don't have a choice in returning to Pendragon."

Lelouch's mind ran rampant with thoughts of his next move. He was already at a disadvantage because he was dealing with a Knight of the Rounds. They didn't answer to anyone but the Emperor even if technically Lelouch was above him in rank. He couldn't even use his authority to garner the support of the other soldiers Schneizel sent because no one here but Gino knew his identity.

No matter how he viewed it, he couldn't win this. Gino could easily carry out his threat of physically separating them. Suzaku wouldn't fight back because going against a Knight of Honour was akin to going against the Emperor. Lelouch knew his own shortcomings well enough to know that even if he put up a fight, any of the soldiers there could easily manhandle him to the plane or simply knock him out.

He had two options, neither of which were appealing. Either he could reveal his identity or he could threaten Gino with the only thing that the Knight would care about: his life. Could he do that? Was it even possible, or would the Knight see him going for a weapon and stop him before he could even raise the gun to his head? Lelouch grimaced inwardly as he acknowledged that the Knight would move before Lelouch could get his hands on a weapon.

That only left him one option.

Lelouch watched Gino watch him. The Knight knew he was going to make his move, but Lelouch doubted that the blond had any idea what he was about to do. Otherwise, he might have decided knocking Lelouch out first would be a smart move.

Lelouch placed his hand on Suzaku's shoulder. "I may not have a choice in returning to Pendragon, but you also have no choice but to allow Suzaku to come with me." He pinned Gino with a piercing violet gaze. "Suzaku Kururugi is my Knight of Honour."

Everyone in the room felt the impact of those words, some only widening their eyes in incomprehension while others let out sounds of disbelief.

Lelouch ignored them all, never once taking his eyes off his opponent.

"The personal Knights of a member of the royal family are outside of even the Emperor's jurisdiction. A Knight of Honour's loyalty is first and foremost to the royal they serve. You would be going against sacred Britannian law if you try to take Suzaku away. And you have no grounds of removing him by virtue of his criminal charges. Those are ludicrously false because Suzaku was busy protecting me from the Britannian army during the time of Clovis's death."

Lelouch's announcement was met with more chaos than he'd hoped.

Gino immediately leapt into action and forced Lelouch and Suzaku against the wall, standing in front protectively with his gun in his hands before Lelouch could even blink.

The group of soldiers Schneizel had sent followed swiftly, any surprise and confusion shoved away for the time being. In moments, they had formed a protective barricade around Lelouch, who had switched to gripping Suzaku's arm tightly.

The other soldiers, those who only hours before had been pointing weapons at Lelouch and issuing threats, were either pale, shaking, muttering to themselves, or all three.

It was Major Nu who regained her senses first. Blinking away shock, she lowered herself to one knee. "Your Highness, please excuse my rudeness earlier. I was unaware of your identity."

Her words acted as a trigger for the next moment, everyone was kneeling and begging forgiveness.

Lelouch rolled his eyes. This was exactly what he had wanted to avoid. Whatever, it seemed he'd be getting his way now. There was no plausible way Gino could refute his words. Although, on the same point, Lelouch also had no jurisdiction over Gino and would have to put up with the Knight sticking by his side like a leech until they got to Pendragon. He couldn't order him away like he could the others. The Emperor had probably sent one of his Rounds deliberately for that purpose.

Everyone there was ignored as Gino snapped out orders, the previous disagreement with Lelouch forgotten. "We leave now! Lelouch's safety has been compromised! Everyone, move out!"

Lelouch found himself quickly shuffled across the room and out the door, Schneizel's soldiers forming such a tight circle, he could barely see anything beyond their backs. His hand reflexively reached out and latched onto Suzaku's arm, a physical reassurance that his friend was safe.

He met Suzaku's eyes in the rush. "Stay with me."

Suzaku nodded and Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief. They had a lot to talk about, but that could wait for now. He felt Gino's hand on his back, urging him to move faster, so he broke eye contact, facing forward.

Outside, Lelouch and Suzaku were hustled onto the plane by Gino and told to buckle up. Within minutes, everyone else had hurried aboard and taken seats away from Lelouch and his two shadows, but close enough to come to aid if need be. The latched was closed and pilots prepared for takeoff.

Suzaku turned to him. "Lelouch—"

Lelouch cut him off with a shake of his head and a signal that they'd talk later, his eyes moving meaningfully toward Gino who was sitting on his other side.

Suzaku closed his mouth with a frown. He obviously wanted an explanation now, but was willing to accept the delay.

Satisfied, Lelouch flipped open his phone and dialled his older brother's number.

Schneizel picked up on the first ring. "Lelouch, what's wrong?"

With that, Lelouch settled in to tell his brother about the mini-crisis he had created, knowing that all would be taken care of and that he had accomplished what he had gone there for. Suzaku was safe and he would remain safe as long as he stayed by Lelouch's side. He would make sure of it.


End file.
